The Lancaster Bible College and Messiah College women's volleyball programs opened the 2017 season on Friday night at Horst Athletic Center, but that fact took a back seat to what happened prior to the match, when both teams honored friend and former teammate Alyssa Bowen. Bowen, the Lancaster Bible standout who was tragically killed last December in a car accident, was on the minds of everyone in the gym on Friday evening as the teams honored her with pregame t-shirts and tributes from current Lancaster Bible Head Coach Jacki Smith and former head coach Lauren Bewley. After both coaches spoke, the teams gathered at midcourt, with the Bowen family and Lancaster Bible Director of Athletics Pete Beers prayed for the Bowen Family, both volleyball teams and their respective seasons. 



Both teams' t-shirts referenced Bowen's favorite Bible verse, Psalm 18:1-2 - I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Though it took a back seat, the teams did begin their seasons on Friday, as the Falcons overcame an early push from the Chargers and defeated Lancaster Bible, 3-0. Messiah won, 26-24, 25-12, 25-8 to improve to 1-0, while the Chargers dropped to 0-1.

How it Happened: The first set went back-and-forth, but Messiah eventually opened a 14-10 lead midway through the opening frame. The Chargers responded by winning five of the next six points and two straight kills from Aleah Heyworth and Hannah Gipe, tied the set at 15-15. The Chargers rattled off three straight points after trailing 18-16 and took a 19-18 lead, forcing the Falcons to call timeout. 

Messiah tied the match on the next point, but Lancaster Bible earned the next three points and grabbed a 22-19 advantage. The Falcons hung tough and won five of the next six points to take a 24-23 lead, but Lancaster Bible tied the set at 24-24 after an error from Messiah. Lancaster Bible was its own worst enemy though and committed back-to-back errors and Messiah earned the 26-24 set one win.

The first set loss was deflating for the Chargers and Messiah took a commanding 15-1 lead to open the second set and eventually took the second set, 25-12. The third set replicated the second as the Falcons put together two long scoring runs, including winning seven of the last eight points of the match en route to a 3-0 sweep.

By the Numbers: Messiah had 37 kills, while the Chargers managed just 15...Sophomore Ashtyn Bouslog led the Chargers with five kills, while Heyworth and Gipe each had four kills...Mary Underman led the Falcons with 11 kills...Senior Myranda Kemrer paced the Chargers with 13 digs, while sophomore Allison Shuey had 14 assists...Freshman Bekah Roberts led the Chargers with three blocks.

The Coach Says: "The girls played with heart and with everything happening, they really battled hard and put forth a good effort," Lancaster Bible Head Coach Jacki Smith said. "The first set showed us what we can become, but we have to take care of our side of the net."

Information Hodge Podge: Lancaster Bible is now 0-8 all-time against Messiah...Kemrer played her 100th career collegiate match on Friday night...Erin Harkey and Kemrer each had aces for the Chargers...The match was part of the Crosstown Crossover Tournament which continues tomorrow at Franklin & Marshall.

Up Next: Lancaster Bible faces Franklin & Marshall on Saturday at 11 a.m., and then will take on Elizabethtown at 1:30 p.m...Both matches will be played at F&M.